Before tearing a groin muscle, Cutler improved this season under new head coach Marc Trestman and McCown has filled in well for him.

Perhaps McCown has filled in too well. Tucked in the back of many local minds, including mine, is that maybe the Bears should ride his wave until they splash off.

To this uneducated eye, the offense actually looked crisper the last six quarters under McCown than it did previously this season under Cutler.

However, Cutler is entrenched as the Bears' starting quarterback and Trestman will go back to him as soon as possible.

A team never can have too many quality quarterbacks unless it plays the one that doesn't give it the best chance to win.

At the risk of embarking on taboo territory, I'm going to wonder out loud whether Cutler or McCown gives the Bears a better chance to beat Detroit on Sunday in a game for first place in the NFC North.

Of course, McCown does if Cutler isn't healthy enough to play up to his standards. But what if Cutler is healthy? I'm not sure that McCown still wouldn't direct Trestman's offense better than Cutler did before getting hurt Oct. 20.

Maybe that comment is simply downright silly.

Jay Cutler is a former first-round draft choice, a one-time Pro Bowl player and the owner of one of football's strongest arms.

Meanwhile, Josh McCown is Josh McCown, a career backup who never has made much of an impact during his previous 10 NFL seasons.

But I can't dismiss how sharp the Bears' offense has looked since McCown replaced Cutler.

I'm being repetitive here because all this is similar to what I wrote after McCown took over during that game at Washington.

The ball gets out more quickly from McCown, goes to the appropriate receiver and keeps the Bears moving methodically downfield.

The offense isn't as spectacular as with Cutler, who can throw the ball a million miles and sometimes a receiver is in the vicinity when it comes down.

McCown can't do that so he doesn't try. If he's going to produce a big gain it'll be with Brandon Marshall or Alshon Jeffery running after the catch the way Jerry Rice and Johnny Taylor did while winning Super Bowls in Bill Walsh's version of the West Coast offense.

What McCown has done best is avoid the interceptions that Cutler has disrupted the rhythm of the offense with.

Trestman raved about how engaged Cutler was at Green Bay, lending his expertise to McCown, Bears receivers and the coaching staff.

The Bears can only hope that Cutler also learned something while watching how smoothly McCown ran the offense.

Look, all this is moot. As soon as Cutler is close to healthy he'll be back at quarterback and McCown will be back where he came from on the sideline.

Unless, you know, the Bears whisper to the medical staff to not clear Cutler to play until the offense quits being so freaking efficient under McCown.

No, no, no, that wouldn't be the ethical way either medically or athletically to sort out this McCutler thing.

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked.
If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the X in the upper right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.